PS4 and Xbox One user interfaces are all about simplicity and speed

PlayStation 4

The Xross Media Bar (XMB) is gone, and has been replaced with the PlayStation Dynamic Menu. As you can see from this screenshot, Sony is still holding onto the same aesthetic, though. The row of icons is very similar to the PS3‘s interface, but selecting one doesn’t conjure a column of options. Instead, you’re quickly popped into a different menu with its own row of icons. Thankfully, both text and voice chat seem to be integrated prominently in the main menu, so communication should be very fast this generation. Frankly, that’s an area in which Sony lagged woefully behind during the PS3’s lifespan.

In the PS4’s “What’s New” menu, you can clearly see some similarity between the PS4 and Xbox One interfaces. Dynamically sized boxes filled with your friends’ latest accomplishments could easily fit with Microsoft’s current aesthetic. While the larger boxes are certainly nice for screenshots and videos, a smaller list-like format would probably serve the trophy and other text-based notifications better. Surely, we’ll see Sony tweak its layouts as more feedback comes in nearing the platform launch on November 15th.

As you can tell from this Gamescom demo, Sony is hell bent on keeping its UI just as snappy as Microsoft is. Jumping from menu to menu is extremely quick, but more impressive is how easy it is to jump into a live game. In this video, you can see Shuhei Yoshida go from watching a live multiplayer game of Killzone: Shadow Fall to joining that specific match in a matter of seconds. Keep in mind, this demo is staged in such a way to present the PS4 in the most positive light. It would be a huge disappointment if this kind of speed isn’t possible in the real world, so Sony has put itself on the hook to deliver this kind of impressive user experience. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. After dealing with increasingly languid consoles for the past eight years, this clear focus on sheer speed brings a smile to my face.

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Xbox One interface is uGLY as hell. I can’t believe they borrow that shyt from the Windows 8 metro…that shyt is UGLY.

Markus Hudobnik

Opinion

AdamRadzik22

I am not a Windows hater, and if anything, I’m an Apple hater. But as someone who has built dozens of systems, installed dozens of OSs for people, taken lots of computer science classes and spends all day on a Windows machines for work…I still hate the Windows 8 metro look. I seriously do. I’ve been forced to become friendly with it via other people’s computers, but if I can avoid it, I will never, ever use a metro style anything. I don’t know why it has such a negative reaction in my brain, but it does, and I just….can’t stand to look at it. It’s ugly, clunky looking, and just plain horrible.

Jewy McJew

Have you seen it on Windows 2012 Server?! It’s an insult to developers and a hinder on productivity.

Carl Sciberras

i have and i refuse to figure out the logic behind that decision. ‘hey lets force an already unliked and ugly UI on a server platform’
wtf
im sticking with server 08 r2, there are no real needs to change to 2012 anyway

sgq

DUH!! Its called a comment section.

MR M

Have you seen PS3 and PS4 interface, makes Xbox ui look beautiful.

Dylan Harris

You know what’s worse? Some asshat who think its cool to spell shit wrong. What are you, a 12 year old girl? There’s nothing wrong with the Xbox interface, it is better then the ps3s and possibly even ps4. Now grow up

Dozerman

*than

James Tolson

ADS? Ads? did u say Ads? in the next gen console menu’s? I will be definitely avoiding them if they have started putting Ads in the menu’s that is just NOT right? why//what sort of company would have the Gaul to put Unwanted Advertisements in the OS? WTF for? how can they get away with it? and why would the end user want to put up with that?

thats like buying a PC, Preinfected with Adverting Malware, as part of the OS? does not make sense? you must have that wrong? surely?

Techutante

Oh, you missed a part too. The part where they make you pay for the console, pay for the game, pay for the internet connection, ANNNND pay for Xbox Live membership. THEN serve ads ON TOP of that. Although, to be fair the Ads will probably be for games and shows to watch on Netflix. Steam advertises at you too, but it’s about games you may or may not want which may or may not be HUUUUGELY on sale. So I generally tolerate that.

James Tolson

i think ill stick with my ps3 for a long time yet.. as a gamer that has bought PS1, and PS2 and ps3 at launch, im finally chucking in the Towel.. not more.. the console market has gone awry completely..

1) both machines are just mini itx pc’s branded with xbone or ps4.. gone are the days of custom hardware designed from ground up

2) Ads, social media, Online purchases are not really my thing..

3) i don’t like Micropayment policies

4) i don’t like having to be forced to pay for subscriptions to play a game i have already paid for to its full potential?

5) i don’t like DLC i think it is Bad practice developers are now selling incomplete games and then dangling DLC for either PAY more to WIN or PAY more to see the end chapter like EA are doing (dead space 3)

6) DRM, i don’t wot they say (microsoft reverting, bullshit lol) DRM will still be prevalent in games and more on the next gen, i hate it..

7) Graphics? to me the PS4/Xbone gfx do not look much if any better than my ps3.. not like the huge leap from ps1 to ps2 then to ps3? i really don’t see the point. even if there is an improvement, i would rather have a graphically inferior game with better gameplay, than a shit game with “photo realistic” gfx?

8) i could rant on, about the other crap that comes with them we don’t need.. but i really cannot be bothered lol… if i had to buy one of them as gunpoint i would buy the PS4. only because it’s list of negatives is less than the Xbone’s and thats it.. but i won’t ill be sticking with my PS3

Whatheheckman .

inb4 the new DRM is a hit and people finally wrap their minds around how much better it is. Then PS4 or the next gen Sony console uses the same model. It will be a funny day.

James Tolson

i think ill stick with my ps3 for a long time yet.. as a gamer that has bought PS1, and PS2 and ps3 at launch, im finally chucking in the Towel.. not more.. the console market has gone awry completely..

1) both machines are just mini itx pc’s branded with xbone or ps4.. gone are the days of custom hardware designed from ground up

2) Ads, social media, Online purchases are not really my thing..

3) i don’t like Micropayment policies

4) i don’t like having to be forced to pay for subscriptions to play a game i have already paid for to its full potential?

5) i don’t like DLC i think it is Bad practice developers are now selling incomplete games and then dangling DLC for either PAY more to WIN or PAY more to see the end chapter like EA are doing (dead space 3)

6) DRM, i don’t wot they say (microsoft reverting, bullshit lol) DRM will still be prevalent in games and more on the next gen, i hate it..

7) Graphics? to me the PS4/Xbone gfx do not look much if any better than my ps3.. not like the huge leap from ps1 to ps2 then to ps3? i really don’t see the point. even if there is an improvement, i would rather have a graphically inferior game with better gameplay, than a shit game with “photo realistic” gfx?

8) i could rant on, about the other crap that comes with them we don’t need.. but i really cannot be bothered lol… if i had to buy one of them as gunpoint i would buy the PS4. only because it’s list of negatives is less than the Xbone’s and thats it.. but i won’t ill be sticking with my PS3

Whatheheckman .

First, even with the ads it still looks HEAPS better than the PS3 and PS4 UI. The PS3 and PS4 UI’s are so ugly and the PS3 one is so clunky feeling (I’ll wait to judge the clunkiness of the PS4’s till I actually use it).

Second, the ads are usually pretty cool and are not intrusive (ad plays in small box and if you go over it the sound will play for it). The ads are mostly movies which I’m fine with because, I go to movies and the regular and if one of the trailers catches my attention I’ll go see it. Also some of the ads will give you free stuff for your avatar which I’m cool with as well =).

I don’t get why people hate ads so much… they have such a stigma about being annoying and intrusive when the ads on the Xbox are the exact opposite of that. Don’t get me wrong there are ads I do hate like ones on the computer where I scroll over them and a pop up comes out and I have to exit it everytime but, on the Xbox it’s not like that. If the tile doesn’t interest me I just don’t scroll over it, if it seems like something I’d like I can scroll over it and watch it and even if during it I don’t like it and just go to the next tile and it turns off. Simple and effective imo.

James Tolson

i don’t own an 360, but are you saying microshaft have ads? in its OS? wots it called, , dashboard? Even if u pay for one of those subscription thingies? live? is it?.. Bah i think both your comments symbolizes wot is wrong with the industry and the current gaming culture lol in one word – NAIVETY

lol both your statement about ads and DRM just do not make any sense to me? sorry, i can only deduce your smoking some really good stuff or u really have no idea of the bigger picture imho

i guess if i came to your house and painted a female sanitary advertisements on your house u would find that pretty cool? or wot about gay club video adverts on your car that you had no choice in having and could not turn off (as it invalidates the terms and conditions of owning a car?) im willing to bet not.. wel most ppl including me feel the same way about our user experience on both computers and game consoles alike.. not to mention the power and resources needed for the flash video content and the bandwidth to stream the stuff it eats up.. probably makes you lag more in games..

as for DRM, i can only assume your are either ill or joking, no offense lol.. Codewheels and cd keys are one thing (i can understand the industry protecting its content at some level) but Kmon? seriously? thats like saying “well i don’t mind going to prison as an innocent man, and i hear been raped by a big huge Dude is a big hit and people are wrapping their heads around how much better it is?” because thats wot microsoft are doing to their fan base? please wake up and smell the coffee, it is not about now it is about the future of GAMING.. it would never EVER be the same.. you would never own a game, you would be force to RENT per Person? be forced DLC, and Pay for not only virtual content but to win and better your peers.. GONE would be the gaming industry we have had up to today, for a Corporate control’s world of tom morrow, i was blown away about the petition dipshits put up wanting Microshaft to reinstate DRM..

I might put up a petition as a joke asking to pay per minute for my breathing usage? Have Prepayment meters strapped to our faces to measure our air breathing and if it runs out we suffocate.. i should do it as im guessing guys like u would sign it lmao

Dylan Harris

What’s more wrong with this generation is when people spell what like wit, and ppl instead of people.

James Tolson

thats very true, however on site’s like youtube you have to fit your comment is as little words as possible, thanks to SMS text talk a lot of words can be shortened and common phrases abbreviated to a level everyone understands.. but it can get really silly tho, to the point today where text messages from teens are gibberish to me, but then im 35 so their has to be a middle ground :-)

Eric Wright

They tried to learn from AOL… who made you pay for your internet connection and then spammed the hell out of you every time you logged in or checked your emails..

Did they forget what happened to the once giant internet provider?

a Steam Console could take over in a market like that…. only by removing what users don’t want in a console.

Constantly updating their Steam software is annoying, but it keeps their DRM intact for keeping up profits reasonably.

Techutante

You have to upgrade steam all the time because they keep adding features and supporting new game formats and whatnot. The DRM is pretty much just you being logged in to an account that’s linked to all your CD keys. You can go into offline mode forever if you want to, although you won’t get your games updated that way. I can’t think of any other way I’d update 100 installed games on any kind of logical basis.

chojin999

The fraud goes on.. Nonsense cheap Metro style garbage..

They really spent nothing on this crap…

Whatheheckman .

Still better than PS3/PS4 UI

Robert Willey

a hell of a lot better than a UI that is nothing more than a freaking file menu. please…Xbox 360 UI, while it has it’s faults is still FAR FAR FAR superior than the crap they have on the ps3.

Dozerman

Really, MS? THREE OSES? Couldn’t you just write all of the software to run on one instead of wasting precious RAM and CPU cycles on virtualization and redundant OS features such as memory management that games could have used?

Minecraft Greek

Sony is using one OS and using even more ram so…..

Plus many PC game ports have to run with an abstraction layer on PS4 further complicating the fact it doesn’t have windows.

Techutante

MS will have a windows game port advantage I suspect. Given they are going with something windows 8 oriented. They will probably chuck in a few of the 8.1 upgrades before launch and come out the surprise winner. I never count them out.

Dozerman

Playstation4 uses a flexible memory scheme that allows the game to pull from a shared pool of memory between it and the OS. As far as abstraction layers, I assume that that is referring to the fact that the PlayStation four runs freebsd as opposed to windows and that the developers would have to use a WINE-like compatibility system to allow for discrepancies. If that is the case it is up to the developer to create a version that works on one or the other. I believe that most Game studios would chose to optimize for playstation as opposed to using an emulation layer.

Whatheheckman .

App developers can develop for Windows 8. By doing this their App can also be accessed on Xbox One as well now (because, of the the Windows 8 like OS on the Xbox One). As, well as use the other OS to make Games then they use the third OS to make it so you can switch between everything seamlessly. Why write one OS that will take up more RAM/CPU power than writing 3 OS’s that will make it so you use less RAM/CPU power? Also, is this a real argument? You are complaining about 3 OS’s really? You aren’t going to have to switch between all of them ever, they are just there.

Dozerman

Modern OSes are modular enough that one particular component can be loaded up individually and ran instead of having a completely separate virtualized component acting as a system in and of itself. This would use fewer resources than the current setup. My point is that it is unneccesarry to have three full operating systems dynamically loading themselves up and shuffling around resources when one OS could do what all three are doing without having to worry about virtualization and such.

snecet

We’re all sure you would have built a much more efficient xbox one.

Dozerman

Yup. AMD A10 maybe six to eight gigs of higher speed ram and depending on price point maybe an SSD or nicer hard drive. Throw in an XBOX controller with windows8 and you’ve got an equivalent device that can be used for more than gaming.

snecet

“recommendations” are not “ads”, companies cant pay for those slots. Nothing is being “promoted”. Of course its a blurry line so all of the haters are going to make the case that its a twist on words and etc, then youd have to make the case anytime anyone anywhere suggests anything to you theyre “advertising” to you. On Netflix do you call your “because you watched…” section “ads”? They actually made it a point to have “0” ads on the first level dash, and stated that at launch.

Upon first boot the “most recently used” slots will serve as a canvas to display tips and hints, shortcuts for navigating the UI. Again, they already said no ads on home, so suggesting they may use those slots for ads is a pretty uneducated guess.

Dexter Rivens

Xbox One looks better in action b/c live tiles. Also the OS is a lot smoother than x360 + they added multi-tasking

Dozerman

So many fanboys on this site…

dirk

Lol

dirk

Yay the ui looks like windows 8…… way to fuck up a good thing Microsoft

Robert Willey

the key selling point for me……INSTANT. I am so sick of staring at swirling circles on the 360 and on the PS3. You give me INSTANT, and I’m sold.

As for the look of the Xbox One UI….I’m fine with it. Their UI look was not the problem. Speed was the problem. Sony has BOTH issues to deal with…..the PS3 UI is SHOCKINGLY bad….every time I turn it on, I feel like I’m going back in time 2-3 generations. And it’s SLOW.

All things indicate to me…Xbox One is the one!

james

It’s not that bad… it’s simple.. easy to navigate and user friendly… Microsoft have always been better with ui than Sony…

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